The Boxcar Children
by Gertrude Chandler Warner
Henry, Jessie, Violet and Benny, four orphaned brothers and sisters, suddenly appear in a small town. No one knows who these young wanderers are or where they have come from. Frightened to live with a grandfather they have never met, the children make a home for themselves in an abandoned red boxcar they discover in the woods. Henry, the oldest, goes to town to earn money and buy food and supplies.
Ambitious and resourceful, the plucky children make a happy life themselves--until Violet gets too sick for her brothers and sister to care for her.
This story will delight any child who has fantasized about being on his or her own and overcoming every obstacle.
Ambitious and resourceful, the plucky children make a happy life themselves--until Violet gets too sick for her brothers and sister to care for her.
This story will delight any child who has fantasized about being on his or her own and overcoming every obstacle.
My review:
Once again, when I signed up for the Books That Made Me Love Reading Challenge, I knew I would be reading The Boxcar Children. I remember reading and re-reading this book many times when I was a child. I loved the whole dangerous, adventurous aspect of the children being on their own, and I thought it would be amazing to live in a boxcar like they did! Now when I read it, I think how sad it is that they were on their own in the first place and were barely getting enough food to survive. I still enjoyed reading it now as an adult, even though I most certainly didn't experience the same emotions while reading. After all these years, it still remains an excellent book for young children.
While in the library, my son was looking through their section of graphic novels for kids. I happened to see the graphic novel copy of this book. Since I had planned on reading it for the challenge anyway, I decided now would be a good time, and I also picked up the graphic novel. Now, I should point out here that before now I haven't been the biggest fan of graphic novels. (But that's a story for another day.) Upon reading this graphic novel, I was pleasantly surprised by how true it is to the original. Obviously, the story is somewhat condensed, with parts being combined or left out, but the main point of the original story still comes through in the graphic novel. Plus, it is beautifully illustrated, much like a comic book, to help bring the imaginations of young kids alive. The Boxcar Children graphic novel would be a perfect book to give to a young, reluctant reader.
*Read for the Books That Made Me Love Reading Challenge*
I loved The Boxcar Children as a kid. I really wished I could live on my own. There were train tracks behind my house and I would go looking for boxcars. Never found any. :( I'm gonna try out that graphic novel though. Thanks for sharing your review!
ReplyDeleteMy mom grew up reading The Boxcar Children and read it to my brother and I as a bedtime story. I read it to my daughter when she was younger. It has been a favorite for three generations in my family...thank you for good memories!
ReplyDeleteOh such good memories. Loved this series when I was a kid!
ReplyDeleteI loved the Boxcar Children as well, and I know I read every single book in the series (despite not remembering them until other challenge participants started reviewing 'em). And a graphic novel? So cool! I wonder what other kid's books have been made into graphic novels. Thank you for the re-review, Tami!
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